Summary
Our project is for 100 very vulnerable women living in the remote, rural district of Nyamasheke. We will set up 5 co-operatives with rapid turnover, income generating activities, increasing their income and improving their livelihood conditions. We will provide intensive counseling over a 3 month period for trauma recovery and for sustainable future development.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
In the rural district of Nyamasheke,Rwanda, we have identified 100 women with special requirements for support. They have 369 children between them. 77% are HIV Positive, half of those are already sick with AIDS and unable to work in the fields. 42 are widows as a result of the Genocide, military action or AIDS. At least 50 are sex workers. The challenge for these women is to generate income to pay for food, clothes, healthcare and school fees. They are traumatized and lacking in self esteem.
How will this project solve this problem?
We will create 5 co-operatives, each of 20 women: jewellery making, banana leaf handicrafts, small agriculture, 2nd hand clothes trading & hair weaving, increasing their income from less than $1 to $2 a day. We will support our co-operatives through registration and opening a bank account. We will provide start up capital to each co-operative after training them in democratic procedures & financial management. We will provide members with professional counseling to improve psychological health.
Potential Long Term Impact
Through the sustainable medium of the co-operative structure,the livelihood conditions of our 100 women and their 369 children will improve, strengthening their ability to send their children to school,buy food, clothes and healthcare for themselves and their children. The physical and psychological health of ALL will be improved. Isolation of this marginalized group of women will reduce, community cohesion will enhance and holistically the future prospects of these women and children will grow.
Project Message
Growing up in Nyamasheke District, I was traumatized by war & genocide. I have 3 children. Desperate for money, I turned to sex work. This project will help me be self reliant & to educate my children
- Louisa, 31 year old sex worker
Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: £5,918
Funding Information
This project is now in implementation and no longer available for funding.
Received funds will be used to accomplish concrete objectives as
indicated in the project's "Activities" section. Updates will be posted under the
"Project Report" tab as they become available.
Donors' contributions and pledges to this project totaled £5,918
.
The original project funding goal was £8,011.
Additional Documentation
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Excel file (projdoc.xls).
Resources